A cast divided. While playing coy about her hookup with Tom Schwartz, Raquel Leviss hinted that her friendship with Katie Maloney was going through a rough patch after filming season 10 of Vanderpump Rules.
“[We are] not on the best terms. I can’t speak for her, but I’m just keeping my distance and letting her work out her feelings,” Leviss, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly at BravoCon on Saturday, October 15.
The model didn’t weigh in on romance rumors about her and Schwartz, 39, did reveal that the costars got closer amid their respective splits. “Right now, we’re good friends. I feel like [our breakups] kind of brought us together as friends and we’ve been able to support each other,” she added. “I wasn’t expecting that friendship to blossom, but I’m happy that it did.”
Leviss’ insight on her connection with the TomTom co-owner comes two months after Us confirmed that the costars got cozy during Scheana Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding. At the time, an insider revealed that the California native and Schwartz “made out” after celebrating their costars’ big moment.
Earlier that year, the business owner and Maloney, 35, announced their breakup after more than a decade. “Well this sucks,” Schwartz wrote via Instagram in March. “I’m not the victim. Not gonna write too sad a song. Fully respect Katie’s decision and we’ve had healthy, productive conversations about it. It would be far sadder if she decided to stay with me whilst not happy.”
In his lengthy statement, the Minnesota native noted that his “heart aches” amid the major life change. “How am I supposed to capture 12 years of love in a f–king canned Instagram caption. I’m not quite ready to use the ‘D’ word [because] it’s too painful,” he continued. “We had some of the most blissful, romantic, fun times humanly possible over the course of our relationship. I’m talking heaven on earth level joy. She taught me so much about love & being a better partner.”
The former SUR waitress, for her part, revealed it was her decision to pull the plug on their marriage.
“I realized that I had to really start prioritizing myself and my happiness as well. It just needed to happen. That’s just what everything inside of me was saying, I thought it got to a point where I just felt like I was going to burst,” she shared during an episode of her “You’re Gonna Love Me” podcast that same month. “For months, it was building up. I felt just disconnected. I felt like I was drifting further and further away.”
One month later, the Utah native explained how Leviss’ split from James Kennedy inspired her to take a look at her own love life. “When they announced at the reunion that they had broken it up — it was a bit empowering because when you’re trying to figure out what to do and you see other people be strong and their convictions like that, you’re like, ‘All right, I can do it, I can do it,’” Maloney exclusively told Us in April.
At the time, the former beauty pageant contestant joined Maloney’s podcast to discuss their individual breakups. (Leviss and Kennedy, 30, shocked their costars when they confirmed their split during the season 9 reunion in January.)
“It was a processing thing. Like realizing, ‘Is this really the relationship for me?’ Coming to terms with it and taking the steps mentally to prepare to leave a relationship that is no longer serving you in ways that you need a relationship to be,” Leviss recalled about ending her engagement. “I think when you see other people leave relationships that aren’t for them anymore, it is inspiring. And I think deep down inside if you get that feeling, then you should trust your gut and go with it. Do what you need to know mentally to prepare, but also don’t string that person along if they are not the person for you.”
During the Vanderpump Rules panel at BravoCon, Leviss noted that she was still exploring her dating options. “I’m single and I’m living my life,” she told fans about her outlook on relationships.
Meanwhile, Us confirmed earlier this month that Schwartz and Maloney’s divorce was officially finalized.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
